


Captain on Tour

by Corinne K (Corinne_K)



Series: Voltron post canon [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Birthday Fluff, First Dates, First Kiss, M/M, Shiro's birthday 2020, Star Gazing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-02
Updated: 2020-03-02
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:07:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22985305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Corinne_K/pseuds/Corinne%20K
Summary: Takashi finally sets off on his tour of Earth. It's a mere coincidence that his first stop falls on his birthday. A special host rises to the occasion.Set right after "Dawn's First Light" (first work in this series), but can be read on its own.
Relationships: Curtis/Shiro (Voltron)
Series: Voltron post canon [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1651837
Comments: 6
Kudos: 10





	Captain on Tour

**Author's Note:**

> Happy belated b-day space dad!  
> Maybe it's because we never got to see it in canon, but I really like to imagine them falling in love 💕

A puff of balmy air hit Takashi's face as he stepped out of the aircraft and onto the jet bridge, a sampler of what he would get outside the glitzy air-conditioned airport.

He was really doing this. After years in the depths of space, Takashi Shirogane - former captain of the Atlas, ex-Paladin of Voltron, and Galaxy Garrison's ace pilot - was setting out on a modest, yet well anticipated, tour of Earth. The known world was now at peace, and he was fully convinced that one must make the most of these pockets of calm. History shows that they are as fleeting as they are unfulfilled.

Other than that, he was brimming with excitement at the mere idea of finally travelling without missions or responsibilities. To add to the frenzy was the fact that he'd be seeing a fair share of familiar faces along the way.

Singapore, just a few minutes away from his home in Hiroshima by common commercial flight was his first stop. A few days later he would head to China and then Mongolia, where he would board the newly restored trans-Siberian to Moscow. From there he would go down to western Europe. Ina was back in Berlin, leading an intergalactic think tank, so that was a mandatory stop. He’d then go all the way to the westernmost edge of Europe and, from there, he would fly to South America. His next stop would be the toughest. He would pay visit to Adam’s family. He’d approached them carefully, but they’d been accommodating, so he'd decided to go for it and honour the memory of a man he'd deeply loved. From Brazil he’d then go up to Cuba, where he’d stay for a while at Lance’s. There was a reunion planned for that time. He was looking forward to it. After that, he’d take Keith to Hawaii, where they both had long lost relatives, and then on to Korea, where they would part ways. From there, Takashi would finally head back home. It was still just a very incomplete plan - he was leaving Africa and the Indian sub continent for another time - but it was a start.

When he'd retreated to his home town after retiring, Takashi didn’t know how long it would take him to venture back out. At the time he felt that there was so much to work though, and he wasn’t even sure he would emerge the same person. Unleashing the trauma he’d been bottling up would take a toll, he knew that, but he could only hope that there was a way out. And here he was. Years after that first session with his therapist - guaranteed by Colleen to be the best of the best - he was walking on his own two feet again.

He took out his phone and activated the global roaming. He texted his mom first. Not that anyone worried about the safety of air travel anymore, but the bond with his family was one he didn’t want to forfeit ever again. Next, he texted Curtis.

He was a bit self conscious about meeting the man, since he’d so blatantly hit on him during the new year party. He could blame it on the sake, but it was probably the eyes... and the brain. He’d always been a sucker for the clever ones.

It was the middle of the week, so he’d planned on hopping on a train to the hotel and then sightseeing, but it just seemed polite to check in (not that he’d been dying to do so).

He picked up his small luggage and strolled past the customs gates. He noticed some double takes here and there. His hair and prosthetic made him stick up like a nail, but that was something he’d have to get used to again.

That's when a tell-tale buzz vibrated in his pocket.

_From: Curtis_

_White t-shirt, 2 o’clock_

The short reply to his earlier text made his head spring up and look directly at his target - military training still ingrained in him even after retirement. Curtis - in a white t-shirt, dark jeans and sandals (how could he look so attractive in such a simple outfit?) - waved, beaming, his perfect white teeth contrasting with his skin, which looked a shade darker than what Takashi remembered. He jogged closer, his suitcase rolling behind him.

“Hey!”

“You're here!”

Curtis seemed to falter slightly, now that they were standing in close quarters, his shyness taking a momentary hold on his demeanour.

“Yeah, I’m not working today...” he rubbed his neck, “I took a few days off, but don’t feel that you need to spend time with me - you don’t! ... I just thought I’d-“

“Curtis,” he cut, and those light blue eyes stared on eagerly, with a hint of panic. “I want to spend time with you.”

“Oh! Great” - his voice was a bit strangled. It was adorable. “I want to spend time with you too...”

They were still standing an arm’s length apart. Takashi thought that was way too far.

“C’mere...”

Their eyes met and their chest came together gently, arms resting on shoulders and arms. A polite yet satisfying hug. Not too eager, not too cold.

* * *

From the airport they headed downtown by train. Once Takashi was done checking in and dropping his bags in the room, he joined Curtis at the hotel bar. After a couple of drinks they headed out, walking through the warm, sun bathed streets. They visited some museums, a botanic garden and then Curtis dragged him through a small crowd so that they could snap a photo next to a water spitting fish-tailed lion.

By the end of the day he was heaving and wiping big sweat beads from his forehead. Curtis was still as fresh as he’d been earlier at the airport.

“So,” the man said as they sat down on a wall facing the bay, sipping on cold soda, “I kind of planned something for dinner today… if you don’t have other plans…”

“I don’t… but I better go back and, uh, freshen up…”

At Curtis’ confused face, he gestured at his overall state of unkemptness - t-shirt sticking to his back, crumpled shorts… not to mention the body odor. He wrinkled his nose and Curtis laughed with gusto.

“It’s fine. It’s nothing fancy. You can go like this.”

“Oh? Ok, then.”

“Let’s get the bus, come on!”

Takashi would have perhaps liked to finish his soda and watch the sunset over the water, with the light flashing golden on the tall mirrored skyscrapers… but he was unceremoniously pulled by the wrist and only had time to toss his legs over the wall and stumble after his quirky tour guide.

Some twenty minutes later they were alighting by the beach. They hadn’t gone far, so the area was still densely encased by clusters of high rise. There were locals cycling and walking around the forest patches, and kids playing at a nearby playground. After a short walk, Takashi’s nose started to catch wafts of something sweet, meaty and aromatic. The smell came from a complex of food stalls some 100 meters away that seemed about to get busy, as dinner time drew near.

“Is that where you’re taking me?”

“Yes and no.”

“How mysterious.”

“You’ll see.”

As it turns out, they bypassed the food court altogether and headed straight to the sand. It was dark and one could see the moon reflected on the water, against the silhouettes of hundreds of cargo ships in the distance.

“Sorry, the view is not spectacular, but it’s the best spot I know around here…”

And so they reached their destination: a patch of sand sheltered by a small dune, where a large rattan mat had been laid out, topped with a low table, a bunch of cushions and two glass lanterns.

“Look up.”

Takashi swept his head up and there it was, the night sky in all its glory. Seeing it like this, with naked eyes, Takashi could almost travel back to the early days, before he’d ever set foot on a space ship, when celestial bodies were just tiny dots in the sky.

“Wow, you… this is really nice,” he stuttered, cheeks growing warm.

“A friend of mine owns a stall here and I thought you’d like it…”

As they settled on the pile of cushions, a young man brought them some meat skewers, rice cakes and a bottle of white wine in a chiller.

“I’m impressed.”

Intent on playing the host, Curtis took the bottle and started pouring the clear liquid into tall glasses. Halfway, his wrist betrayed his nervousness, wobbled to the side and a splash of wine hit the flowery table cloth.

“Shit,” the man cursed under his breath, growing slightly shakier as he poured the second glass and handed it to Takashi.

“Well, then… happy birthday!”

Takashi smiled from ear to ear, accepting the glass. They both took long sips, eyes meeting over the rims of the glasses. The cups came down but they stayed like that. Takashi knew it was about to happen when, never breaking, eye contact, Curtis not so innocently licked a stray drop of wine from his lower lip. At that sign, Takashi made his move, leaning forward and capturing those lips. They exchanged a series of sweet, slow kisses. When they pulled back, belly aflutter, they traded smiles and looked up at the sky, hands interlacing between them.

They had their meal without hurry, seamlessly picking up on the conversations they’d had throughout the day. There was the trivial stuff, the fun stuff, and then there were heavier things that they’d only touched upon. If this thing between them was to evolve into something else, those deeper subjects would eventually surface. But Takashi knew he was finally ready - to share those memories, to let someone in.

When they were done eating, kissing, and stargazing, Takashi insisted on helping to haul the table and the other things back to the stall owner’s truck. Apparently, that was his own coffee table, that he’d brought from home. Takashi hugged the guy and his employee, and tipped them when Curtis wasn’t looking.

The walk back to town was pleasant, lulled by the cool sea breeze. Sooner than he would have liked, they were standing in front of his hotel.

“Thank you,” he said, meaning those words, and daring to catch the other man’s hand in his. “I had a really good time.”

“I’m glad.” Curtis smiled and gave his hand a squeeze. “So, huh… if you want to hang out again tomorrow or-“

They were both suddenly interested in their own shoes.

_For heavens’ sake, two full grown men…_

“Curtis, do you wanna come up?”

The man looked up through his dark lashes. Takashi thought those eyes would really be the death of him.

“Y-yeah… I’d like that.”

Takashi smiled and laid his prosthetic hand on a thin waist that was warm and oh-so-inviting.

“After you…”


End file.
